ON-VEHICLE TRACKING CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20130226402A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Tsuruta, Tomohiko, Tominaga, Motonori, Ueda, Yusuke, Hatoh, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,134,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A tracking control apparatus for tracking a preceding vehicle includes information acquiring unit for acquiring information about surrounding the own vehicle, preceding vehicle determining unit for determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle, control unit controls the tracking control to be maintained or released, and turn signal determining unit for determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active. The control unit maintains or releases the tracking control by determining the surrounding of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active.

Claims

1. A tracking control apparatus mounted on an own vehicle for performing a tracking control of a preceding vehicle comprising:

information acquiring means for acquiring information about surroundings of the own vehicle, the information acquiring means including preceding vehicle determining means for determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle;

control means for controlling a tracking control of the preceding vehicle determined by the preceding vehicle determining means, the control means controlling the tracking control to be maintained or released; and

turn signal determining means for determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active, wherein

the control means is configured to maintain or release the tracking control by taking into account of the surroundings of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring means, when the turn signal determining means determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active.

2. The tracking control apparatus according to the claim 1, wherein

the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining means determines the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and determines that a change of a running direction of the preceding vehicle is prevented based on the information acquired by the information acquiring means.

3. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the information acquiring means includes adjacent vehicle determining means for determining whether or not an other vehicle running parallel to the preceding vehicle exists, the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining means determines the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and the adjacent vehicle determining means determines that the other vehicle exists.

4. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the information acquiring means includes lateral vehicle determining means for determining whether or not other vehicle running parallel to the own vehicle exists, and the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining means determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and the lateral vehicle determining means determines that the other vehicle exists thereby estimating that a change of the running direction by the preceding vehicle is disturbed.

5. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the information acquiring means includes lateral vehicle determining means for determining whether or not other vehicle running parallel to the own vehicle exists, and the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining means determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and the lateral vehicle determining means determines that the other vehicle exists thereby estimating that a change of the running direction by the preceding vehicle is disturbed.

6. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the information acquiring means includes traffic lane identifying means for identifying a traffic lane where the own vehicle runs, and the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane identified by the traffic lane identifying means to other traffic lane.

7. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the information acquiring means includes traffic lane identifying means (16, 50) for identifying a traffic lane where the own vehicle runs, and the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane identified by the traffic lane identifying means to other traffic lane.

8. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the information acquiring means includes traffic lane identifying means (16, 50) for identifying a traffic lane where the own vehicle runs, and the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane identified by the traffic lane identifying means to other traffic lane.

9. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the information acquiring means includes traffic lane identifying means (16, 50) for identifying a traffic lane where the own vehicle runs, and the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane identified by the traffic lane identifying means to other traffic lane.

10. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the information acquiring means includes running path estimation means for estimating a running path of the preceding vehicle, and the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control while the preceding vehicle is within the traffic lane where the own vehicle runs, based on the running path estimated by the running path estimation means, the running path estimation means estimating the running path before the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane.

11. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the control means is configured to release the tracking control when the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane and moves towards a ramp way direction.

12. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising route searching means for searching a traveling route from a current location of the own vehicle to a destination, wherein the control means is configured to maintain the tracking control when the traveling route searched by the route searching means is towards the ramp way direction even when the preceding vehicle moves towards the ramp way direction.

13. The tracking control apparatus according claim 6, wherein

the information acquiring means includes lateral vehicle detecting means for detecting whether or not other vehicle running parallel to the own vehicle on an adjacent traffic lane exists, and the control means is configured to release the tracking control when the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane and the lateral vehicle detecting means detects the other vehicle exists.

14. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising intention determining means for determining driver'"'"'s intention, and the control means is configured to release the tracking control when the preceding vehicle changes the traffic lane and the intention determining means determines that the driver intends to release the tracking control.

15. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the turn signal determining means is configured to determine whether or not the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active based on at least one of a position of the turn signal unit, a pattern of flashing and a color of the turn signal unit.

16. The tracking control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tracking apparatus used for the tracking control.